Camping with a Blowdryer

Does the phrase “full hook-up campground” turn you on? Do you love the great outdoors but cringe at compost toilets?

These adventures—one a short drive, the other a flight away—let you hike, bike or swim, while returning at night to a comfy bed, hot shower and an electrical outlet for that all-important blowdryer.

Moab, Utah
Don’t drive to Utah in a gas-guzzling RV: Fly there, and rent an RV at Arches RV Rental in Moab. Then, drive yourself to a fabulously scenic campground, hook up your electric and water, and head out to enjoy some of the West’s best hiking and mountain biking in a stunning red rock landscape. Moab offers access to Arches National Park, which contains the world’s largest concentration of natural sandstone arches, and Canyonlands National Park, the largest national park in Utah.

I’m partial to campgrounds without Internet access—this is supposed to be getting away from it all, after all. Portal RV Park (1261 N. Highway 191, 435-259-6108) is an Internet-free zone with 70 RV campsites, plus a pool, showers and laundry. Other campgrounds worth checking out include:

  • Moab KOA
  • Archview Resort
  • Moab Valley RV Park
  • Slick Rock Campground

Don’t miss: Hiking in Arches National Park (detailed hikes available at www. nps.gov/arch), a float trip on the Colorado River, and backpacking or hiking in Canyonlands National Park. Golfing and horseback trail riding round out the outdoor activities.

For more information, visit www.discovermoab.com.

Devil’s Lake, near Baraboo, Wisconsin
With 500-foot purple quartzite bluffs, two sandy beaches and mountain biking, hiking and climbing, it’s no wonder Devil’s Lake is the most visited state park in Wisconsin. Sure, you can pitch a tent at a Devil’s Lake State Park campground (www.dnr.state.wi.us), but for more creature comforts, check out some of the nearby private campgrounds instead:

Nordic Pines Campground is located across from the North Shore entrance to the State Park and offers cabins with electricity, hot showers, flush toilets and a children’s playground

Baraboo Hills Campground offers a swimming pool, a stocked fish pond and free bike usage

Eschewing tents altogether? Check out Rustic Ridge Cabins in Merrimac. These four-season luxury log cabins offer full kitchens, high ceilings, hot tubs, fireplaces and all the electrical outlets your heart desires. Plus, you’re within driving distance of other attractions such as Lake Wisconsin, Parfrey’s Glen and Wisconsin Dells.

Don’t miss: After enjoying a day in the great outdoors, drive two miles into downtown Baraboo for dinner at The Little Village Café, serving an eclectic mix of pastas, Southwestern fare, and a famous Friday night fish fry (don’t miss the area brew, a New Glarus Spotted Cow beer, or for wine drinkers, Wollersheim Winery’s Prairie Fume).

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